Lawrence Larry Reynolds

Lawrence "Larry" Reynolds, 88, of Frederick, Maryland, passed away peacefully on October 27, 2026, at Kline Hospice House in Mount Airy, Maryland, surrounded by the love of his family. Larry was a kind, welcoming, and devoted man who spent his life making others feel valued, respected, and at home. His generosity, faith, and unwavering love for his family touched countless lives and will be remembered by all who knew him.

Born on June 30, 1938, in Rhine, Georgia, Larry was the son of the late William Thomas Reynolds and Sarah Elizabeth Reynolds. He was raised on a small family farm in central Georgia during a time that bears little resemblance to modern life. The farm produced vegetables, livestock, and a few cash crops, including cotton, which Larry learned to pick at an early age. Mules served as transportation, pulling wagons for trips into town. The family home was heated by a wood stove, and when Larry was about ten years old, electricity arrived for the first time, marked by a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. A battery-powered radio connected the family to the news and to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights.

When Larry was twelve, the family moved to Warner Robins, Georgia. He graduated from Warner Robins High School in 1956 and worked at the Rama Theatre during his youth. While working in the projection room on April 30, 1953, he was unaware that a devastating F4 tornado was tearing through nearby neighborhoods only blocks away, an event he never forgot.

Drawn to the emerging fields of media and television, Larry moved to Chicago and attended DeVry Technical Institute, earning an Associate’s Degree in Electronics and Engineering Technology. Shortly thereafter, he was drafted into the United States Army and reported for basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in September 1961.

Larry’s primary Army assignment was at Fort Ritchie, Maryland, which served as a critical communications and support center for the nearby underground facility known as Site R, or the Raven Rock Mountain Complex. During his military service, he met Elaine Droegemueller, a nurse from Chicago who was helping her sister Mary move to Fort Ritchie in advance of her marriage to Larry’s Army friend, Don Stelter. A long-distance courtship followed, culminating in Larry and Elaine’s marriage on May 12, 1963. The couple began their life together in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, before Larry was honorably discharged in September 1963 with the rank of Specialist 5 (SP5).

After leaving the Army, Larry and Elaine settled in Rockville, Maryland. In 1969 they purchased a home on Rollins Avenue, where they would raise six children and spend the next fifty-five years before relocating to Frederick in 2024.

Larry began working as a television broadcast engineer at NBC Channel 4 in Washington, D.C., and remained there until his retirement in 2001, completing a distinguished thirty-eight-year career. He provided technical support for network broadcasts, White House coverage, remote news operations, and productions that included the local news, Meet the Press, It’s Academic, and George Michael’s Sports Machine.

His career spanned one of the most significant technological transformations in broadcasting history, from black-and-white television, analog tape systems, and vacuum tubes to color broadcasting, satellite transmission, digital servers, and computerized control rooms. Beyond his technical accomplishments, Larry served as President of Local 31 of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET), representing technicians, engineers, and employees at NBC and WRC Radio.

Larry was a man of deep faith and an active member of Lutheran Church of the Cross in Rockville for more than sixty years, including many years of service as an elder. He enjoyed photography, home movies, reading the newspaper and books, yard work, fixing cars, taking walks, watching the Little League World Series, caring for mischievous dogs, and spending time outdoors.

More than any accomplishment, Larry valued his family. He found great joy in attending sporting events, school activities, and family gatherings and was always ready with encouragement, practical advice, and a helping hand.

Of all the blessings in his life, none meant more to Larry than the sixty-three years he shared with Elaine. Together they enjoyed visiting family, traveling, and taking drives through the countryside each fall in search of orchards with apples suitable for Elaine’s famous homemade applesauce. Their happiest times were spent at their beach home on Jekyll Island, Georgia, where they spent the winter months after Larry’s retirement. There they walked the shoreline, collected seashells, watched sunrises and sunsets, relaxed at the pool, played golf, worked on the house, and enjoyed lasting friendships with neighbors and friends.

Whether serving his church, helping a neighbor, supporting his family, or enjoying a quiet walk on the beach with Elaine, Larry lived a life defined by faith, humility, hard work, and love. His example and influence will continue to inspire all who knew him.

Larry is survived by his beloved wife of sixty-three years, Elaine Alice Reynolds (nee Droegemueller); their six children, Donna Martin (Mitch) of Havelock, North Carolina; Kevin Reynolds (Alexandra) of Severna Park, Maryland; Bob Reynolds of New Market, Maryland; Carol Reynolds of Frederick, Maryland; John Reynolds (Jamie) of Hebron, Maryland; and Mark Reynolds (Holly) of Castle Rock, Colorado. He is also survived by ten grandchildren: Zachary Martin and Tim Martin (Bryanna); Alex Reynolds (Dulie), Dan Reynolds (Sarah) and Michael Reynolds (Kate); Lily Reynolds and Brooke Reynolds; Jordan Reynolds; Willow Reynolds and Tysen Reynolds; five great-grandchildren, Wrenley Martin and Rowan Martin; Isabelle Reynolds; Colton Reynolds and Samuel Reynolds, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by his brothers, Pleas Daniel Reynolds and Thomas Kennon Reynolds.

Visitation will be held at Keeney & Basford Funeral Home, 106 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701, on Thursday, November 5, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., followed by a funeral service at the funeral home beginning at 6:00 p.m. Interment will be held at Rocky Gap Veterans Cemetery, 14205 Pleasant Valley Road, NE, Flintstone, MD 21530, on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Larry’s honor to Kline Hospice House, 7000 Kimmel Road, Mount Airy MD 21771. Frederick Health Hospice